Firefighter Autopsy Protocol - US Fire Administration - Federal ...

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■■Overview The Firefighter Autopsy Protocol has been extensively revised since its original 1994 edition. In this new protocol, a number of additional areas of information have been provided to take into account emerging issues and new technologies as applied to the conduct of autopsies. As stated in the report, it is recommended that autopsies be performed for all firefighter fatalities where a line-of-duty death has occurred. It is further recommended that an autopsy be performed when a non-line-of-duty death may be linked to a line-of-duty exposure. Specific sections have been provided in this report as background and areas of information as related to the conducting of autopsies. General autopsy procedures must be supplemented with additional analyses and reviews in order to ascertain specific causes and mechanisms of death and to add to the body of knowledge for understanding firefighter fatalities which, in turn, helps to prevent future firefighter fatalities. The protocol gives specific attention to several areas, where current autopsy practice may be supplemented with additional evaluations and considerations. Examples of these supplemental factors include ■ evaluation of victim work history with specific attention to prior exposures; ■ examination of personal protective equipment (PPE) for relating effects of clothing and equipment on individual parts of the body, particularly in cases of trauma and burn injury; ■ details in the physical examination for identifying signs of smoke asphyxiation and burn injury as contributing causes of firefighter fatality; ■ implementation of appropriate carbon monoxide and cyanide evaluation protocols as part of the toxicological evaluation; and ■ detailed toxicological evaluations where hazardous atmospheres have been encountered. The utility of this specific firefighter autopsy protocol is intended to advance the analysis of the causes of firefighter deaths to aid in the development of improved firefighter health and safety equipment, procedures, and standards. It also is critical in helping to determine eligibility for death benefits under the Federal government’s Public Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB) Program, as well as State and local programs. Lastly, implementation of this protocol will increase interest in the study of deaths as related to occupational illnesses among firefighters, both active and retired. ■ vi ■
■■Acknowledgement This project could not have been undertaken without the expertise of the following people who provided invaluable guidance and input throughout this project: Professor Vincent Brannigan, JD Dept. of Fire Protection Engineering University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742-3031 Dr. Merritt Birky National Transportation Safety Board 2419 Childs Lane Alexandria, VA 22308 Richard Duffy Int’l Association of Fire Fighters 1750 New York Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20006 Ms. Rita Fahy National Fire Protection Association 1 Batterymarch Park Quincy, MA 02169-7471 Captain Tom Hales, MD Center for Disease Control 4676 Columbia Parkway Cincinnati, OH 45226 Dr. James Melius NY State Laborers 18 Corporate Woods Blvd. Albany, NY 12211 Ms. Valerie C. Neal* PSOB (Senior Benefits Manager) 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Dr. Fredric Rieders National Medical Services 2300 Stratford Avenue Willow Grove, PA 19090 Kevin Roche Phoenix Fire Department 2625 South 19th Street Phoenix, AZ 85009 Mary Ellis** National Fallen Firefighters Foundation 16825 South Seton Avenue, Building O P. O. Drawer 498 Emmitsburg, MD 21727 Jim Monahan Beebe Medical Center 424 Savannah Road Lewes, DE 19958 *No longer with PSOB at the time of publication. **No longer with the NFFF at the time of publication. ■ vii ■
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